Nut-lock



(No Moda.)

' G'. E. CLARKE.l

NUT LOCK.

Patented Mr. 27, 18.88.v

UNITEDv STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GREVILLE E. CLARKE, 0E RACINE, WISCONSIN.

NUT-LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 380,188, dated March 2'7, 1888.

Application filed September 12, 1887. Serial No. 249.453. (No model .To all whom it may concern:

Be it knownA that I, GREVILLE E. CLARKE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Racine, in the county of Racine and State ot Wisconsin, have invented certain new'and useful Improvements in Nut-Locks; and I do' hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in whichl Figure 1 is a perspective view of my irnproved nut-lock, showing the saine applied to the fish-plate of a railjoint. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the washer-plate shown in Fig. l and of' the spring, the same being detached from each other; Fig. 3 is a plan view showing a different form of the washer and spring-a slight modification. Fig. iis a similar view of another slight modification, and Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view through the bolt with its nut and nut-lock.

The same letters of reference indicate cor? bolt; and myinvention consists in certain new and useful improvements upon the nut-lock for which Letters Patent of the United States No. 363,594 were granted to me bearing date of May 24, 1887, and will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

Referring to the several parts by letter, A and B' indicate the sh-plates on each side of' the end of a rail ata railjoint.

C indicates the bolt, and D indicates the nut,

which latter may be square, hexagonal, or octagonal, as desired. The bolt and nut are of the usual construction, requiring no.change` whatever to adapt them to be used for my imbolt.

proved locking device. This latter consists flat inner side against the fish-plate and with its underl edge against the flange of ythe lishplate or the foot of the rail, as the case may be, to prevent its turning ou the bolt.

-of the washer-plate E, which bears with its .The washer-plate E is formed with the centrai outwardly-projecting collar, F, which encircles the bolt-hole and the bolt and forms a bearing around whichthe spring is twisted,as hereinafter described, this sleeve projecting out and forming a bearing orvabutrnent for the nut, which prevents the latter from being screwed up against the spring, so `as to destroy or weaken the tension or elasticity of the same, so that a positive lock will always be formed by the overlapping part of the spring. This collar also forms a iirin bearing or seat for the spring,whether the device is in use or not.

In Figs. l, 2, and 5 'of the drawings I have shown the washer-plate E formed with only' two projections or retaining lug's or ears, G and H. These ears are preferably formedxby striking them out of a sheet of malleable iron integral with the washer-plate with a suitable die, and bending them up and over as required, as shown in the complete devicein the said figures, the said ears being shown in Fig. 3 as they appear before being bent up into their operative positions. y

I indicates the locking-spring used with this form of washer-plate, consisting of a coiled spring adapted to t in the-washer-plate closely around the central collar, F, with one of its ends and its main body portion, but with its free end portion bulging or bent up or outwardly slantingly, as shown, so as to overlap the nut when the latter is screwed home on the This spring I is secured on the washerplate by the ears G and H being bent over its inner portion and end, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 ofthe drawings, and encircling the central colouter end of the central collar, F, which forms a firm bearing or abutment for it, and prevents it from being screwed against the spring so as to destroy or weaken the tension or elasticity of the same, and also to permit the spring to form a positive lock, as whenV the ends of the nut pass over the raised portion of the spring the tension of the spring will throw out its free bent end,so that the said end portion will abut against the dat side or face of the nut and prevent the same from being turned backward to unscrew it from the bolt unless the spring is forcibly depressed by hand for that especial purpose, the spring thus forming a strong, reliable, and positive lock which will e'ectnally prevent the nut from rattling or working loose ou the bolt, as it is impossible for it to turn backward to loosen itself on the bolt.

The form of nut-lock above described is especially adapted for locking small nuts upon the bolts, either small square nuts or octagonal nuts.

In Fig. 3 of the drawings I have shown the washerplate formed with live projections or retaining lugs or ears, J, K, L, M, and N, the four lower ears, J, K, L, and M, being adapted to be bent over the inner portion and end of the spring O, and thus retain the said spring in position on the washer plate, while the other and upper ear, N, is not bent, but remains straight, and serves to protect the spring at its free portion and prevent it from being forced out of place in turning the nut. O indicates the locking-spring used with this form of washer-plate, consisting of a coiled spring adapted to t in the washer plate closely around the central collar, F, thereof, with one of its ends and its main portionsecured by the bent-over ears J, K, L, and M, while its free end portion is bent up and outwardly slantingly, as shown, so as to overlap the nut when the latter is screwed home on the bolt, while the raised outer end of the spring projects out beyond the corner of the nut. This form of my nut-lock above described,and shown in Fig. 3, is especially adapted for'locking square nuts up upon the bolts,and will lock a oneandone fourth-inch or a one-and-one-half-inch nut equally well, as the bulge or bend O is formed in this spring near the free end of the same at a greater distance from the bolt than in the other forms of spring shown, by which arrangement the spring is adapted for rather larger square nuts especially. rIhe number of lugs or earson the washer-plate may be reduced, tive being employed in order to render the plate effective if one or more of the said ears should break or crack in bending.

In Fig. 4 of the drawings I have shown the washer-plate formed with three lugs or ears, P, Q, and R, the ears P and Q being adapted to be bent over the springS to hold it in ,place on the washer-plate E around the central collar, F, thereoffwhile the third lug or ear, R, is not bent, but serves to protect the sprlng at its free portion and prevent it from being forced out of place in turning the nut. S indicates the coiled spring which is used with this washer-plate, having the bulge or bend S formed in it nearer the bolt than in the spring O, this form of spring being adapted for 1ock ing hexagonal and smaller square nuts on the bolt, as the outward slant or bulge S is formed in the spring at a point closer to (nearer) the bolt than in the spring shown in Fig. 3. The straight lug R may be dispensed with, as may also the straight lug N of the washer-plate E', if its use is found to be not required. The collars F of the several washer-plates are preciselysimilar to each other, and have the same functions.

VFrom the foregoing description, taken in,

connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction, operation, and advantages of my invention will be readily understood. It will be seen that my improved nut-lock 1s simple and strong in construction, can be applied to any rail-joint without any change of the fish-plates, bolt,or nut, and is exceedingly effective in its operation, as it will effectually prevent the nut from working off of the bolt.

The several forms of locks are substantially similar in construction, varying only in small points to adapt them for nuts of different sizes and different number of sides.4 The projecting sleeve or collar F of each washer-plate forms a bearing for the nut, and prevents it from being screwed up against the spring so as to destroy the elasticity or tension of the same, so that a positive lock will always be formed by the spring.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

In a nut-lock, the combination, with the locking-plate formed with a central outwardlyprojecting collar, the retaining ears or lugs arranged around said collar upon said plate, and also a protectinglug, and a coiled locking-spring adapted to be secured between the collar and the ears or lugs, having its free end bulged outwardly and slantingly, and adapted to overlap the nut when screwed home and to 'be retained in place by the protecting-lug,

substantially as and for the purpose shown and set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereunto afiixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GREVILLE E. CLARKE.

Witnesses:

ERAsTUs C. PECK, LEWIS MORRIS. 

